louis



V. A. FYNN.

IGNITION SWITCH. APPLICATION mm mm. 7, ms.

1,397,277. a mum 15,1921.

' IJV' VIE-W 01i. WITNESS.

UNITED STATES vALEnE A. rYN'moF s1; Louis, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR r0 WAGNERELECTRIC mumcreams COMPANY, or ST. "LOUIS, mssounr, A CORPORATION orniss w PATENT OFFICE.

IGNITION -SWITCH.

To all it may concern Be it known that I,V LiiRn'A. FY1\ I1\T a] subjectof the King of England, resid ng and exact description as will enableany one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, form- 1 by acranking motor. operated from'the batdevice.

in part ofthis specification.

y invention relates more particularly to battery ignition systems, suchas are used on self-propelled vehicles operated by an internal;combustion engine which is started tery, or by means of some othermechanical Such systems are. usually of the normally closed type and ifthe, operator omits to open the ignition switch andthe timer happens tostop in its closed posltion, then the battery is uselessly drained andmay be entirely discharged while the car is at rest.

In carrying out my invention, as applied to a system ncluding a crankingmotor, I provide in the ignition circuit a switch controlled by thespeed of the engine and adapted to interrupt I the ignition circuit whenthe engine speed falls below the lowest operating speed, and suitablyinterconnect same with the starting switch for the cranking motor with aview to makin the ignition circuit independent of the spee controlledswitch during the startlng operation and placing same under the controlof said switch whenthe starting operation .by reference to theaccompanying drawing,

which is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment thereof. IReferring to the figure, the storage battery 2 is located within the lowtension of primary ignition circuit [which comprises the primary 4 ofthe spark coil 3, the timer 6,7, the centrifugal ignition switch 12 andthe hand operated ignition switch. 14; The

6 high. tension winding 5 ofthe spark coil 3 is grounded at one end andconnected to the distributor 8 at the'other. The spring controlled handoperated switch15- is adapted to shunt the centrifugal ignition switch12 and is normally open. The cranking motor Specification of LettersPatent. P t nt NOV. 21 Application filed March 7, 1918. Serial no.221,066. 7

20, 21 istpermanently connected to one pole of the battery 2 and isadapted to beconnected to the other pole by means of the starting switch17. This starting switch adapted .to drive the engine in some well knownmanner. In the-drawing, the" ceni trifugal switch'is'carried on a shaft11', provided with a pulley 13 drivenfrom the engine while the contactplate 12 of said switch is insulatingly supported by a sleeve adapted toslide up and down the shaft 11' under the influence of the weights 10.When these weights fly" out, the'plate 12 is raised and closes theprimary ignition circuit. At very low speeds, or with the engine atrest, the weights 10 hold the plate 12 away from the stationary contactwith which it cooperates.

The operation of this improved ignition system is as follows: Assumingall the switches to be open, the switch 14 should first be closed andthe engine can be started by closing the starting switch 17. The closingof this latter switch connects the negative terminal ofthe battery 2 tothe field winding 20 of the cranking motor through the stationarycontact 18 and the lever of the switch 17. The other end of the excitingw nding 20 is permanently connected to the positive pole of the battery2 through the closing ofthe switch 17 also completes the primaryignition circuit {by conductively bridging the contacts 16 and 18.Assoon as the engine has begun to fire and'operates independently of thecranking motor, the starting switch 17 may be released, for thecentrifugal switch is so set that it will close at or near the lowestidling speed of the engine. Should the engine speed now fall belowitslow'est operating value or should the engine stop altogether, thenthe centrifugal switch v12 will interrupt the .pri-

mary ignition circuit and positively preventall useless drain on thebattery, even though the operator omitsto open the hand operatedignition switch'l l. If it is desired to interrupt the'ignition while,the engine is running, then it is only necessary to'openswitch armature21 of the cranking motor, but the I 14. In order to reinstate ignitionunder the same condition, it is only necessary to close switch 1a.

Should it for some reason be desires to start the engine without the useof the cranking motor, as for instance, when the batter is very low,then switch 15 should be closed during the starting period, after switch14 has been closed. If switch 15 remains closed after the engine hasstarted, then the centrifugal switch is rendered inoperative. For thisreason, it is preferred to place the switch 15 under the control of aspring which tends to hold said switch open. If the car is provided withelectric lighting or with a charging genera-tor, then the latter, aswell as the lamps, can be connected between the conductors 22 and 23 inthe usual manner.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an ignition and starting system for internal combustion engines, astarting motor, controlling means therefor, a primary ignition circuitcomprising a source of current, a timer and an ignition switch, meansgoverned by the speed of the engine for closing and opening said switch,and means whereby the opening and closing of the motor controlling meansopens and closes a circuit in shunt with the contacts of the ignitionswitch.

2. In an ignition and starting system for internal combustion engines, astarting motor, controlling means therefor, a primary ignition circuit,comprising a source of current, a timer and an ignition switch, meansgoverned by the speed of theengine for closing and opening the switch,and means whereby opening and closing of the motor starting switch opensand closes a circuit in shunt with the ignition switch.

3. In an ignition and starting system for internal combustion engines, astarting mo tor, a starting switch therefor, aprimary ignition circuit,comprising a source of current, a timer and an ignition switch, meansgoverned by the speed of the engine for closing and opening the ignitionswitch, an auxiliary circuit in shunt with the contacts or the ignitionswitch, a spring controlled switch in said circuit, the spring tendingto hold the switch in open position, and means controlled by the motorstarting switch for closing the primary ignition circuit independentlyof the ignition switch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto Sui my hand and afiix ed my seal.7

VALERIE A. FYNN. [n s]

